The McLaughlin Group: The Economy Tanking

The panel of Mort Zuckerman, Eleanor Clift, Monica Crowley and Pat Buchanan on this Friday's The McLaughlin Group sat down for a discussion on whether our economy is tanking and whether or not it's in part due to Iraq. Mort Zuckerman paints as gloomy a picture of the economy as we heard the other day from Jim Cramer but he refuses to admit that the occupation in Iraq might have anything to do with the economy tanking now. Zuckerman is also completely dismissive of Ron Paul's arguments about the economy during the ABC GOP debate. Of course Buchanan and Crowley think it's only a minor drag on the economy and Crowley goes so far as to start spouting off about how great the economic growth is there. How's that occupation and genocide going for you Monica? Oh the economy is booming....it's wonderful. Clift and McLaughlin disagree. We do have a real mess on our hands as Zuckerman describes with the sub-prime lending industry and the economic forecast is looking very dreary to put it mildly for the reasons he describes, but I don't understand how anyone can completely separate our irresponsible borrowing and spending on the bottomless pit called Iraq from the state of the economy in general we're facing now. The conservatives answer to our problems of course, lower taxes and cut government spending, code for gut Medicaid and Social Security, but that war spending, no problem.

Cross posted at Daily KOS:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/20/1810/78057/190/440189

and Crooks & Liars:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/01/20/the-mclaughlin-group-the-economy-tan...

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• McLaughlin
• Group
• Economy
• Tanking
• Mort
• Zuckerman
• Eleanor
• Clift
• Monica
• Crowley
• Iraq

[roncf1]

The iraq war is a drag on the U.S. economy. So are all the other bases around the world. Time to bring them all home! Ron Paul is right. Get rid of the fedreral reserve.

[bennygale]

3:24 UN reports the economy in Iraq is growing 7 to 8 per cent. Next to Somalia it is the most corrupt country in the world. Where is the money coming from, you will get it in one guess.

We have a multi trillion dollar tab, thousands dead and many more thousands maimed. Iraq has a million exiles, tens of thousands dead and this person talks about the Iraq economy like we are on the set of the Wizard of Oz.

Incredible.

[SirTenenbaum]

Easy credit from the Fed and money printed out of thin air inflated the housing bubble. Just search on youtube Tom Woods' explanation of Austrian Business Cycle Theory if you want to understand what happened during the crisis and our current economic problems.

[professoruc]

Mcglaughlin get control of Eleanor. She is a time hog. She shouts people down. Please get her to "shut up" She may be fascinated by her own opinion, but millions are not

[ImOfNope]

This is what america is all about. Hollering, bickering and nothing getting accomplished. It's always' been like this since I been living here for almost 50 years now

With that experience, I can predict that nothing will ever' get done in this country. I have no confidence in this government at all. Zero! And here's the kicker folks. It's gonna get worse, and there isn't going to be a 'before it gets better'. Our good times are over with. Welcome to the permanent down sized market.

[angryniggah]

on a more serious note: i want to give monica crowley a tongue-bath...oooops, i meant pat buchanon. gr-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-rrrrrr!!!

[angryniggah]

i hate eleanor's politics but she sure as hell doesn't ruin the show. she's hilarious. xcuze me..excuse ME!....EXCUSE ME!!!!!!

[DAVIDINTEL]

I love the McLaughlin Group and I am a democrat, but Eleanor is the most obnoxious person. She is always interrupting everyone, such a big mouth.

She ruins the show!

[whitmts]

I agree with Ron Paul 100% that we should limit Federal spending of U.S. taxpayer's dollars, eliminate the Federal Reserve (central) bank, get out of Iraq. The Democrats promised to end the Iraq war immediately and I am not seeing that happen. Why? I not hearing the lame stream media paying much attention to the fact the Obama is putting more troops in Afghanistan. Where is the liberal outrage?